Ali Ghareh Lar and Mojtaba Ramin Executed in Qom Central Prison; Mehdi Shahpasand and Hossein Ziari to be Executed Tomorrow

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Qom Central Prison on August 6. His identity has been established as Ali Ghareh Lar who was sentenced to death for both drug-related and murder charges. Sources have reported that he was executed for the murder charges (qisas or retribution-in-kind).

Ali Ghareh Lar was arrested around three years ago and had been transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for his execution from Ward 1 of the prison, according to informed sources.

Another prisoner was executed at the prison on August 1. His identity has been established as Mojtaba Ramin who was sentenced to qisas for murder.

Two other men were also transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for their scheduled executions tomorrow. Their identities have been established as Mehdi Shahpasand and Hossein Ziari.

There are currently 130 death row inmates and 200 prisoners with life sentences in Ward 1 of Qom Central Prison which houses serious crime prisoners.

At the time of writing, neither of their executions have been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

According to data gathered by Iran Human Rights, at least 183 people were executed on murder charges in 2021. Those charged with the umbrella term of “intentional murder” are sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) regardless of intent or circumstances due to a lack of grading in law. Once a defendant has been convicted, the victim’s family are required to choose between death as retribution, diya (blood money) or forgiveness.

At least 251 including 6 women and 67 Baluch minorities were executed in the first six months of 2022. This is double the number of executions in the same period in 2021 when 117 people were executed.